Plot Summary

Everything Under

Daisy Johnson
Guide cover placeholder

Everything Under

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2018

Book Brief

Daisy Johnson

Everything Under

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2018
Book Details
Pages

272

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

England • Contemporary

Topic
Publication Year

2018

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

Roundup icon

Super Short Summary

Everything Under by Daisy Johnson is a contemporary retelling of the Greek play Oedipus Rex by Sophocles. It follows Gretel, a young woman searching for her mother, Sarah, who disappeared sixteen years ago. As Gretel revisits her past, she uncovers the story of Marcus—a child who, fulfilling a prophecy, unknowingly kills his father and has an incestuous relationship with his mother—revealing deep personal and familial secrets. The book includes themes such as abandonment, mental illness, and unintended incest.

Mysterious

Unnerving

Melancholic

Contemplative

Reviews & Readership

3.7

15,763 ratings

54%

Loved it

30%

Mixed feelings

16%

Not a fan

Roundup icon

Review Roundup

Daisy Johnson's Everything Under has been widely praised for its lyrical prose and inventive retelling of myth. Reviewers commend Johnson's atmospheric storytelling and complex characters, but some point out a convoluted narrative that may challenge readers. Despite any structural critiques, the novel's emotional depth and thematic richness ensure a memorable read.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Everything Under?

A reader who enjoys Everything Under by Daisy Johnson will likely appreciate atmospheric, lyrical storytelling and psychological depth. Fans of Milkman by Anna Burns and The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield will find the book's exploration of memory, identity, and myth compelling. Ideal for those seeking introspective, literary fiction.

3.7

15,763 ratings

54%

Loved it

30%

Mixed feelings

16%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

272

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

England • Contemporary

Topic
Publication Year

2018

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

Buy This Book

We’re just getting started

Add this title to our list of requested Study Guides!